TORRES AND AZPILICUETA MAKE SPAIN SQUAD

Fernando Torres and Cesar Azpilicueta have both been named in Vicente Del Bosque’s provisional 30-man World Cup squad.

The Chelsea pair will hope to make the final cut of 23 when it is announced on 25 May, the day after the Champions League final.

Torres has plenty of experience on the global international stage having appeared at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, the latter of which Spain won, the first time they had lifted the trophy in their history. Torres was also a key member of the Spain sides that won both Euro 2008 and Euro 2012. Our striker scored in both finals.

He was also top scorer at the Confederations Cup in Brazil last summer when the hosts defeated Spain 3-0 in the final. That was the only senior international tournament at which Azpilicueta has featured, including as a second-half substitute in the final.

Torres has 106 international caps and has scored 36 goals, while Azpilicueta, voted Chelsea’s Players’ Player of the Year last night, has five caps, all won since his move to west London in the summer of 2012.

Also included in the squad of 30 is former Chelsea player Juan Mata. There is no place for full-back Alvaro Arbeloa of Real Madrid.